There's more than enough evidence to support the theory that video games (and any other form of media) have a direct impact on children's minds. Any psychologist will tell you that during the crucial development phase, a human soaks up just about any information he/she sees/hears. It lays the framework for the adult that person will eventually become. To say video games, movies, music and any other form of entertainment that involves "absorption" has NO effect on a child is completely ridiculous, but to imply it has an automatic negative effect is equally ridiculous. Unfortunately, due to the violent nature of most video games, it has indeed been proven - many times, in fact - that such games will certainly increase the aggressive behavior of children. They're more likely to respond to a conflict with physical violence, more likely to disobey a parent or authority figure, etc.
But for fully developed - and mentally stable - adults, no, I don't believe video games or any other form of entertainment poses a legitimate threat. Furthermore, there is no evidence to support the idea that those over the age of 18 are negatively (or positively) impacted by video games or movies or whatever. This is why I'm a firm supporter of the ESRB and the MPAA, because you'd have to be naive to think playing GTA or watching Hostel doesn't have any effect on an 8-year-old...and that effect certainly wouldn't be positive. The bottom line is that video games is nothing more than "input" to any developing child, just like everything else that child comes into contact with. This input is taken in and processed; there's no way around it. The primary difference is that an adult has the capability to separate fact from fiction, reality from fantasy, and socially acceptable behavior vs. antisocial behavior. The child hasn't experienced enough of life to accurately do this, which is why I will never support the idea that "anybody" can play supremely violent video games.
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